And that's what I've been saying all along...

yeah I know someone did...just couldn't remember who. This thread went dead in a hurry didn't it?

Thanks, that's a good comment. I guess a 10'1" tandem CAN be useful. Speaking of Western Canada, I have an old PDF on my laptop: tandems up to 1.85 M (72") spacing get 17,000 KG, tridems 3 M to 3.7 M get 24,000 KG. If I were to add a third axle to my stepdeck ahead of the front axle, creating a 121" tridem (3.07 M), that baby could haul 52,800 LBS. But the Wilson dealer tells me the axle would add approximately 2,000 lbs to the empty weight. My maximum payload with the current 61" tandem is: 49,000 lbs.

Someone said it here before. "You can't tare light if you want to haul heavy"....or something like that. Besides, 47,000 is still respectable. I'd be more concerned with the cost of adding the axle than the 2000 lbs.

Have you every hauled big weight with that trailer? I wonder how well the little brakes stop you?

Put a third axle under it and go trucking. 47 in the states and 65 plus in Canada. If you want to get fancy make it a lift and you'll save some tire wear when you don't need a tridem.

I was thinking about this while cruising west on I-80 in Nevada today. The way I see it, keeping my stepdeck and just adding a third axle offers many advantages and a few disadvantages. I'm comparing the new 121" tridem to the existing spec (61" fixed tandem, 40.9' wheelbase).

Advantages

1. Increase the load on the end of the trailer way above the current 34,000 lbs both for US and Canada
2. Shorten the wheelbase by 2.5 ft to 38.2' which will make it easier to: pull the step on the highway, back up, go around corners in a city
3. Decrease stopping distance (more brakes!)
4. Strengthen the entire trailer ( more LBS in 4' of length)
5. Increase capacity for overweight loads with a permit
6. Improve the looks (subjective, but that's how I feel)
7. Increase the resale value (trailer dealers don't like my 61" spread, it's unusual for Ontario, Canada)
8. Increase my pay at Landstar by 1% off the gross which can make me $200 from $20,000 gross in a month

Disadvantages

1. Increase the weight by 1,700 LBS
2. Decrease maximum legal payload by from 49,000 LBS to 47,300 LBS
3. Increase rolling resistance (but this can be dealt with by creating a cheap manual lift axle in the middle of the tridem)
4. Increase maintenance costs (tires)

So, there's 8 advantages and 4 disadvantages.... Anyone wants to add anything?

I don't know why you guys are so afraid of Western Canada... Yeah, I complained myself I know but they do have decent loads going to US. You still have to deadhead, but I've seen quite a few loads at almost 3 bucks per mile from Calgary to Willston, ND. You deadhead to St.Paul or Chicago and get a good load to Ontario. The lane I'm thinking of setting up for myself is this: Toronto, ON - Houston TX - Calgary AB - ND - Chicago IL - Toronto ON.

Here's a typical load I see on our board from Texas to Alberta. Tell me that's not a good load.

Origin: Texas
Destination: Alberta
Freight: metal products
Weight: 43,600 LBS
Miles: 2211
Revenue: $7,050

Loads from ON to Texas pay close to 5 grand.

Well my company just sent me from Alberta to Dallas, TX with lumber. I promise you the rate they're paying me is probably 50% higher than they're getting. There's a reason for that!

IF you put a third axle under it, don't go messing with the fixed axles you have now. Have the third axle placed in front and have it liftable. Keeping your suspension as close to original as possible will save you repair costs. And scrubbed tires. Just lift the axle for cornering and for backing, keep it on the ground when you are loaded.

my opinion.